Psalm 92:9

For, lo, thine enemies, O LORD, for, lo, thine enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Benson Commentary

Psalm 92:9-10. For lo, thine enemies, &c., shall perish — He represents their destruction as certain, and as present, which the repetition of the words implies. But my horn shalt thou exalt, &c. — But, as for me and other righteous persons, (of whom he says the same thing, Psalm 92:12,) we shall be advanced to true and everlasting honour and felicity: I shall be anointed with fresh oil — Oil, sweet and uncorrupted; that is, I shall have great cause of rejoicing, and testifying my joy, by anointing myself; as the manner was in feasts, and all joyful solemnities.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

92:7-15 God sometimes grants prosperity to wicked men in displeasure; yet they flourish but for a moment. Let us seek for ourselves the salvation and grace of the gospel, that being daily anointed by the Holy Spirit, we may behold and share the Redeemer's glory. It is from his grace, by his word and Spirit, that believers receive all the virtue that keeps them alive, and makes them fruitful. Other trees, when old, leave off bearing, but in God's trees the strength of grace does not fail with the strength of nature. The last days of the saints are sometimes their best days, and their last work their best work: perseverance is sure evidence of sincerity. And may every sabbath, while it shows forth the Divine faithfulness, find our souls resting more and more upon the Lord our righteousness.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For, lo, thine enemies, O Lord, for, lo, thine enemies shall perish - The repetition of the word "lo" here - "behold!" - is emphatic. The attention of the psalmist was fixed on this as an event which would be sure to occur. It was certain that God would be exalted; it followed from this, that all his enemies would be subdued in order that he might be thus exalted.

All the workers of iniquity shall be scattered - More literally, "shall scatter or disperse themselves;" implying eagerness and activity, as if they were in haste to flee away. The allusion is to an army that is discomfited, disorganized, "demoralized," and scattered; or to chaff that is dispersed by the wind. See Job 21:18; Isaiah 17:13; Isaiah 29:5; Hosea 13:3.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

9, 10. A further contrast with the wicked, in the lot of the righteous, safety and triumph.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

He represents their destruction as present, and as certain, which the repetition of the words implies.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

For, lo, thine enemies, O Lord,.... The particle "lo", or "behold", is not used for the sake of God, but for the sake of men; to excite their attention, and to observe unto them that those who are everlastingly destroyed are the enemies of the Lord; who are enemies in their minds by wicked works, yea, enmity itself against God; and therefore their perdition is just as well as certain; sooner or later these shall be brought forth and slain before him; and for the certainty of it is repeated,

for, lo, thine enemies shall perish; the Targum adds, in the world to come: "all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered"; one from another, and not be able to unite and combine together against the saints, as they have done; or they shall be separated from them at the last day, being placed at Christ's left hand; and shall not stand in judgment, nor in the congregation of the righteous; and so the Targum,

"and all the workers of iniquity shall be separated from the congregation of the righteous;''

see Psalm 1:5.

Geneva Study Bible

For, lo, thine enemies, O LORD, for, lo, thine enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

9. For lo] Pointing apparently to some recent actual example. ‘Anadiplosis’ or rhetorical repetition is a favourite figure in this group of Psalms. Cp. Psalm 90:17; Psalm 93:1; Psalm 93:3; Psalm 94:1; Psalm 94:3; Psalm 94:23; Psalm 96:13. The first two lines are a reminiscence of Jdg 5:31.

shall be scattered] Lit. shall scatter themselves. The seemingly solid phalanx of antagonism breaks up and disperses, disintegrated from within.

9–15. Further confirmation of the sovereignty of Jehovah: the wicked who are His foes perish, the righteous who are His friends flourish.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 9. - For, lo, thine enemies, O Lord, for, lo, thine enemies shall perish. Whatever else is uncertain, this at least is sure, that ultimately God's enemies will perish. The repetition adds the greatest force to the passage. All the workers of iniquity (comp. ver. 7) shall be scattered. All of them - every one (comp. Matthew 7:23, "Depart from me, ye that work iniquity"). Psalm 92:9

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Upon closer examination the prosperity of the ungodly is only a semblance that lasts for a time. The infinitive construction in Psalm 92:8 is continued in the historic tense, and it may also be rendered as historical. זאת היתה (Saadia: Arab. fânnh) is to be supplied in thought before להשּׁמדם, as in Job 27:14. What is spoken of is an historical occurrence which, in its beginning, course, and end, has been frequently repeated even down to the present day, and ever confirmed afresh. And thus, too, in time to come and once finally shall the ungodly succumb to a peremptory, decisive (עדי־עד) judgment of destruction. Jahve is מרום לעלם, by His nature and by His rule He is "a height for ever;" i.e., in relation to the creature and all that goes on here below He has a nature beyond and above all this (Jenseitigkeit), ever the same and absolute; He is absolutely inaccessible to the God-opposed one here below who vaunts himself in stupid pride and rebelliously exalts himself as a titan, and only suffers it to last until the term of his barren blossoming is run out. Thus the present course of history will and must in fact end in a final victory of good over evil: for lo Thine enemies, Jahve - for lo Thine enemies.... הנּה points as it were with the finger to the inevitable end; and the emotional anadiplosis breathes forth a zealous love for the cause of God as if it were his own. God's enemies shall perish, all the workers of evil shall be disjointed, scattered, יתפּרדוּ (cf. Job 4:11). Now they form a compact mass, which shall however fall to pieces, when one day the intermingling of good and evil has an end.